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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
‘It is killing people': UN chief slams US-backed Gaza aid operation
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said a US-backed aid operation in Gaza is 'inherently unsafe', giving the blunt assessment that 'it is killing people'. Israel and the United States want the United Nations to work through the controversial new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), but the UN has refused, questioning its neutrality and accusing the distribution model of militarising aid and forcing displacement. 'Any operation that channels desperate civilians into militarised zones is inherently unsafe. It is killing people,' Mr Guterres told reporters. Mr Guterres said UN-led humanitarian efforts are being 'strangled', aid workers themselves are starving and Israel, as the occupying power, is required to agree to and facilitate aid deliveries into and throughout the Palestinian enclave. READ MORE 'People are being killed simply trying to feed themselves and their families. The search for food must never be a death sentence,' Mr Guterres told reporters. 'It is time to find the political courage for a ceasefire in Gaza.' Since Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19th, allowing limited UN deliveries to resume, the UN says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed seeking aid from the UN and GHF operations. A senior UN official said on Sunday that the majority of those people were trying to reach GHF sites. Responding to Mr Guterres on Friday, Israel's foreign ministry said Israel's military never targets civilians. It accused the UN of 'doing everything it can' to oppose the GHF aid operation. 'In doing so, the UN is aligning itself with Hamas, which is also trying to sabotage the GHF's humanitarian operations,' it posted on X. A GHF spokesperson said there have been no deaths at or near any of the GHF aid distribution sites. 'It is unfortunate the UN continue to push false information regarding our operations,' the GHF spokesperson said. 'Bottom line, our aid is getting securely delivered. Instead of bickering and throwing insults from the sidelines, we would welcome the UN and other humanitarian groups to join us and feed the people in Gaza.' GHF uses private US security and logistics firms to operate. It began operations in Gaza on May 26th and said on Friday it has given out more than 48 million meals so far. The US state department said on Thursday it had approved $30 million in funding for the GHF and called on other countries to also support the group. Israel and the United States have accused Hamas of stealing aid from the UN-led operations, which the militants deny. —Reuters
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Rwanda and Congo sign peace deal in Washington to end fighting and attract investment
Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement on Friday, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year. The agreement marks a breakthrough in talks held by US president Donald Trump's administration and aims to attract billions of dollars of Western investment to a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. At a ceremony with US secretary of state Marco Rubio in Washington, the two African countries' foreign ministers signed the agreement pledging to implement a 2024 deal that would see Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern Congo within 90 days, according to a version initialled by technical teams last week and seen by Reuters. Kinshasa and Kigali will also launch a regional economic integration framework within 90 days, the agreement said. READ MORE On Friday, ahead of the signing of the deal in Washington, Mr Trump said: 'They were going at it for many years, and with machetes - it is one of the worst, one of the worst wars that anyone has ever seen. And I just happened to have somebody that was able to get it settled.' 'We're getting, for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it. They're so honored to be here. They never thought they'd be coming,' he said. Mr Trump was due to meet the foreign ministers in the Oval Office later on Friday. Rwanda has sent at least 7,000 soldiers over the border, according to analysts and diplomats, in support of the M23 rebels who seized eastern Congo's two largest cities and lucrative mining areas in a lightning advance earlier this year. The gains this year by M23— the latest cycle in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide— sparked fears that a wider war could draw in Congo's neighbours. Rwandan foreign minister Olivier Nduhungirehe called the deal a turning point. Congo foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said the agreement must be followed by disengagement. The US state department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the initialled version of the agreement. —Reuters Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters in May that Washington wanted the peace deal and accompanying minerals deals to be signed simultaneously this summer. Mr Rubio said on Friday that heads of state would be 'here in Washington in a few weeks to finalise the complete protocol and agreement'. However, the agreement signed on Friday gives Congo and Rwanda three months to launch a framework 'to expand foreign trade and investment derived from regional critical mineral supply chains', according to the initialled version seen by Reuters. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that another agreement on the framework would be signed by the heads of state at a separate White House event at an unspecified time. There is an understanding that progress in ongoing talks in Doha - a separate but parallel mediation effort with delegations from the Congolese government and M23 - is essential before the signing of the economic framework, the source said. The agreement signed on Friday was set to voice 'full support' for the Qatar-hosted talks, according to the initialled version. It also says Congo and Rwanda will form a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days and implement a plan agreed last year to monitor and verify the withdrawal of Rwandan soldiers within three months. Congolese military operations targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a Congo-based armed group that includes remnants of Rwanda's former army and militias that carried out the 1994 genocide, are meant to conclude over the same timeframe. Congo, the United Nations and Western powers say Rwanda is supporting M23 by sending troops and arms. Rwanda has long denied helping M23, saying its forces are acting in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. —
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Pádraig Harrington holds share of the lead at US Senior Open
The two old golfing buddies relived their best days. Pádraig Harrington and Stewart Cink – both Claret Jug holders in their prime and with exemptions into the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush looming – went toe-to-toe in the second round of the US Senior Open and reached the midpoint at Colorado Springs at the foot of the Rockies locked together, inseparable. Harrington, a winner of the US Senior Open in 2022, shot a second round 67 and Cink a 66 for a 36-holes total of 134, six-under-par, three shots clear of Mark Hensby, and the duo – playing together – only completed their work minutes before a siren blared to suspend play due to lightning in the air. In his quest for a second US Senior title, the 53-year-old Dubliner holed a 20 footer for birdie on the ninth, his finishing hole, to join Cink in a share of the midway lead. Harrington started on the 10th and claimed birdies at the 10th, 12th, 13th and 17th with a sole bogey at the 15th to turn in 31 and added a birdie on the third to move into the outright lead only to drop shots at the fourth and seventh and then rejoin Cink in a share of the lead with a closing birdie. READ MORE US-based Ballymena native Chris Devlin, who came through the qualifying tournaments to earn a place in the field, rediscovered his putting touch. Having suffered a number of three putts in his opening round, Devlin bounced back with a 67 to add to his opening 75 for 142 to move inside the cut line. Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho during the second round of the Dow Championship 2025 at Midland Country Club on Friday. Photograph:On the LPGA Tour, Leona Maguire – the headline act at next week's KPMG Irish Women's Open at Carton House – continued a strong partnership with American Jennifer Kupcho to move into the clubhouse lead at the halfway stage of the Dow Championship in Minnesota, where the duo shot a second round four-ball better-ball 60 for a 36-holes total of 13-under-par 127, two shots clear of American Sarah Schmeizel and Swiss player Albane Valenzuela. Maguire bounced back from four straight missed cuts on the LPGA Tour with a top-20 in last week's KPMG Women's PGA Championship and appears to have found some form headed into an important part of the season. Having opened with a 67 in the foursomes, Maguire and Kupcho moved into the lead with a 60 that saw the two complement each other. 'The plan today was just to give ourselves as many chances as we could, try to get two chances on every hole. For the most part, we did that. It was nice to start off with a birdie and sort of an eagle very early on to get the ball rolling. Jen made a nice birdie on 18 to sort of keep the momentum going through the turn. Overall, quite a fun day,' said Maguire. 'You're trying to hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, and just give yourself some good chances. Jen's a little bit longer off the tee than me, so trying to take advantage of her length where we can. Did that in foursomes well yesterday. Today was steady, there wasn't a lot of risk/reward to it with one being aggressive and one not. We tried to give ourselves two chances on every hole and it dovetailed pretty nicely. 'I think we executed pretty well yesterday. So more of the same (headed into the weekend). I mean, the game plan didn't change drastically today, so same as we did yesterday, a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. It was nice to see some putts go in today, so try to bring that into tomorrow as best we can.'
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Bewley's seeks Grafton St rent reduction from Johnny Ronan company
Bewley's Cafe and a company owned by property developer Johnny Ronan have gone to the High Court in a row over €747,000 per-year rent for the Grafton Street outlet. Mr Ronan's RGRE Grafton Limited has said the rent should actually be €1 million, while a valuer called by the famous coffee company said it should be €518,000. The High Court heard that prior to October last year, Bewley's had been paying €1.46 million for the same premises but that figure was reduced following a rental valuation by the Circuit Court. The High Court appeal was taken by Bewley's Café Grafton Street Ltd (BCGSL) through Beauchamps solicitors, led by Simon Murphy, against the rent granted to RGRE Grafton Limited, which owns the building located at 78-79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. READ MORE RGRE Grafton has cross-appealed the decision. The difference between the two sides' figures over a five-year rental period amounts to over €2.5 million. The case centres on the methods behind the valuations of both sides. The court has been told that BCGSL held the lease on the building from 1987 for 35 years, a deal that expired in August 2022. BCGSL then received a new tenancy under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980. In October, the cafe had its annual rent halved following a ruling by Judge Jennifer O'Brien, who said it should have to pay a rent of more than €738,000 per year. That figure was later adjusted to €747,000 – still a 50 per cent drop from the previous €1.46 million being paid. The Circuit Court found that this fairly represented what a willing tenant would pay and a willing landlord would take for the premises as of August 2022 over a five-year lease term and that BCGSL was entitled to almost €1 million for rent paid since the expiry of the previous lease. Both sides are appealing the decision of the Circuit Court. Fergus Crosse, an expert valuer retained by BCGSL, told the High Court that improvements to the Bewley's building made by BCGSL also meant that the gross rent should be reduced. Mr Crosse was of the opinion that the statutory rental value of the property was €518,000. David Potter, a valuer with Savills, was retained by RGRE Grafton. He said the statutory rent should be €1 million annually. Mr Crosse told David Whelan SC, for BCGLS, that he employed a 'zoning' of arrears of the floor space at the cafe which meant that Zone A, closest to the entrance, would be the most valuable. Each tranche of zones was measured at 20 feet from the entry. Mr Crosse said he used comparator properties on Grafton Street in his analysis and that Zone B would be valued at 50 per cent of Zone A and that Zone C would be valued at 50 per cent of Zone B. Mr Potter said an 'overall' view was more effective in determining the rent and that the use of the zoning model in this case led to a 'misvaluation'. Mr Potter said the use of the zoning model meant the restaurant floor space far from the door was now valued at a lower rate by Mr Crosse which 'undervalued' the restaurant area. 'Bewley's space at the back is big money, it's the main restaurant,' said Mr Potter. 'It can't be valued as if it is the cheapest, worst space. Zoning undervalues it significantly, as if the rear is ancillary, but it is not – it is a really attractive restaurant.' Mr Potter said that a valuation of €24 per square foot of the restaurant area – while the staff room in nearby McDonald's restaurant was valued at €60 per square foot – amounted to a 'fundamental misvaluation'. He said he was valuing the property as a restaurant and not a restaurant-retail use agreement and that Dublin City Council previously gave an opinion that it would prefer the use of Bewley's to be maintained as a restaurant and not a retail outlet. The case continues before Ms Justice Sara Phelan.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the next election: anyone for the presidency?
Who would run for president of Ireland? Not many , to judge from the long list of potential candidates who have already ruled themselves out of the contest to succeed Michael D Higgins when his second term ends in November. There are a multitude of reasons for early contenders to opt out. Some know they would not win. Others have been told, or have come to realise, that they would not secure their party's nomination. For frontline politicians or those with ambitions to serve in government, the thought of occupying a largely ceremonial role in the relatively sleepy surroundings of the Phoenix Park for at least seven years may not be all that enticing. The high financial cost of running a campaign is also no doubt a factor. But it is surely undeniable that the bruising, even brutal, nature of recent Irish presidential campaigns is also deterring prospective nominees from putting their names forward. There is a long list of candidates from previous elections, including people of real standing and professional accomplishment, who say the campaign left them feeling damaged or humiliated. To anyone who values the democratic system, that's regrettable, and everyone– including parties, candidates and the media – must reflect on it. At the same time, it is vital that candidates for such an important office are subjected to serious, robust scrutiny. Candidates complain that it's all about playing the man – or woman – and not the ball. The problem is that, in presidential elections, there is no ball. The president has no executive powers and virtually no influence on policy. Their influence is softer, more nebulous and symbolic. Campaign discussions about housing or healthcare or taxation are useful only insofar as they provide an insight into the personality and worldview of the individual. READ MORE Ultimately, a presidential election is about finding the personality whom the electorate deems most suitable to represent the country and its values at a particular moment. In their different ways, each of the last three presidents have done exactly that, embodying an outlook or a set of preoccupations that both reflected – and helped to define – their eras. To say that the president's power is largely symbolic is not to imply that the role is less important. On the contrary. It is vested with important constitutional functions that require sound judgment and sharp political instincts. It is in many ways a harder role to fill than most other public office because the holder must have that rare ability to both understand politics and stand above it, to show a deep, sophisticated knowledge of the Irish experience and the ability to articulate a national vision that transcends day-to-day preoccupations. If that person is to be found, the strongest candidates must enter the contest.
